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We won't complain about the origins of plaintiff, although complain and plaintiff are distantly related; both can be traced back to plangere, a Latin word meaning "to strike, beat one's breast, or lament." Plaintiff comes most immediately from Middle English plaintif, itself an Anglo-French borrowing tracing back to plaint, meaning "lamentation." (The English word plaintive is also related.) Logically enough, plaintiff applies to the one who does the complaining in a legal case.
Examples of plaintiff in a Sentence
Matthew Kelly
may 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
The plaintiff’s counsel repeatedly questioned Altman’s character, accusing him of being untrustworthy, and of routinely lying.
—Ashley Capoot,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Other plaintiffs include journalist Robin Amer, audiobook narrators and voice actors Lindsay Dorcus and Victoria Nassif, and podcasters Yohance Lacour and Alison Flowers — all Illinois residents.
—Hannah Meisel, CBS News, 19 May 2026
The plaintiffs are seeking more than $5 million in damages, along with a permanent injunction to stop direct sales.
—Chase Jordan
may 19, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for plaintiff
Cite this Entry
“Plaintiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaintiff. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plaintiff
noun
Legal Definition
plaintiff
noun
Middle French plaintif, from plaintif, adj., grieving, from plaint lamentation, from Latin planctus, from plangere to strike, beat one's breast, lament
